The Montclair, New Jersey indie rockers Pinegrove have released a plaintive new single called “Intrepid” following their live album Elsewhere. Known for being very charitable folks, Pinegrove is donating the proceeds from Elsewhere went towards the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“Intrepid” is a soothing new track highlighting soft acoustic strumming and textbook rock percussion that turns into a congenial mix of harsher electric guitar and heavier bass. Lyrically, “Intrepid” is riddled with apprehension and hesitation about diving into a new relationship and all the questions that come along with this process. It is very down to earth and relatable while still maintaining a high-level sound that slightly resembles expansive artists like Grizzly Bear. Continue reading →

I’m going to run you through a sad little timeline, folks. It’s a devastating tale of woe involving me, Pinegrove, and the lack of my presence at their shows. Like I said, sadness.

I admit I am far late in the Pinegrove cult game, and for that I am sorry. However, I found myself entrenched in it over the later half of this year. I had coveted tickets to their epic show at First Unitarian Church, and even had a chance to watch their live session for World Cafe. But alas, both times were thwarted. Continue reading →

“It’s a great day to perform, now we just have to get verified on Instagram.” After a slew of last-minute schedule changes due to an ominous weather forecast, New Jersey natives Pinegrove opened up the 2017 XPoNential Music Festival on the smaller Marina Stage in Wiggins Park for what was one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend. The XPN Fest crowd had come out in full force with folding chairs and picnic blankets, but from the moment the band from Montclair stepped onto the stage the fans (some who had come from hours away just for this set) matched the energy and intensity that emanated from the stage. Continue reading →

Attention: Pinegrove are (were? have been?) recording a new full-length album, and they are granting us with an inside look at the process via a weekly video series shot by frequent Pinegrove videographer Kenna Hynes of Tiny Ship Co. Continue reading →

You know those songs that just kind of sucker punch you with all of the feels? Indie folk / soft synth outfit Florist’s song “What I Wanted to Hold” is one of them. The NY band just shared the heartbreaking single in anticipation of their upcoming sophomore album If Blue Could Be Happiness, which is out on September 29th.

Opening with floaty acoustic strums and the sounds of a life in rewind, the song immediately conjures an intense nostalgia that rivals the likes of Bon Iver’s “Re: Stacks” or “Towers.” Its gentle, sweet chords grab your heart — piercing it with an ache that was nonexistent just moments ago.

If you haven’t noticed by now, we at The Key are big fans of Pinegrove and Half Waif, two New Jersey bands that share a common denominator in Nandi Rose Plunkett. Both groups find Plunkett as the sole woman, one in a keyboards-backing vocals situation and the other as the founding, writing, and recording frontwoman. In other words, she is a musical force to be reckoned with.

Why, then, in 2017 – especially in an industry that theoretically draws the creatives, the open minds, the dreamers – do we find Plunkett responding to slews of misogynist aggressions against her being simply because that being is female? After originally posting last month on Twitter in response to comments on her part in Pinegrove, Nandi Plunkett has penned an extraordinarily eloquent, insightful, and sharp long-form piece published by Esquire on what it means to be “the girl in the band,” what it feels like to be a woman constantly silenced and disregarded and dismissed as a girl, as a girlfriend, as a pretty face but nothing more. Continue reading →

Heck yes, Pinegrove has just announced some new spring tour dates, which includes a glorious, much-needed stop at First Unitarian Church on Friday April 28th with support from Austin duo Hovvdy. As if this news wasn’t beautifully wonderful all on its own, Pinegrove is also donating a portion of ticketing fees to ACLU. My goodness, those little gems. Pre-sale tickets are available now with more details available on the XPN Concert Calendar. Watch Pinegrove’s recent set for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert below. Continue reading →

Just across the river, Montclair beauties Pinegrove have been continuing to use their music as a means to help others who need it. The band’s recent release Everywhere finds eight tracks recorded live during their tour with Kevin Devine, Petal, and Julien Baker, with all proceeds going towards the Southern Poverty Law Center, a “non-profit organization that combats hate, intolerance, and discrimination through education and litigation”. Continue reading →

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH